Podium IV Why I’m not voting 10-01-08 - Regarding the Presidential Election of Barack Obama Recently someone sent me an email titled “Why I’m not voting for Obama“. As the writer continued, he outlined his position citing all the standard objections that are commonly espoused by the so-called Religious Right - some of which I happen to agree with. Just the same, I found his reasoning, like so many others of his political persuasion, to be sadly lacking in the area of consistent Scriptural thinking that reflects truly the Mind of Christ on matters of the Spirit. For instance, while many of these folks oppose abortion and would never vote for a political candidate who devalues human life in that particular way, at the same time they will vigorously support one who will sacrifice their children as cannon fodder in a war perpetrated under false pretenses, for the benefit of commercial corporate interests. Somehow they are blind to this inconsistency as they consider who is worthy to live and die. Perhaps by now I should be less cynical, but I’m not. Perhaps by now, having seen so much of it, I should be conditioned to this kind of double-minded thinking from people who call themselves followers of Christ, but I’m not. After all, it’s been 10 long years now since I’ve obeyed the Call of God which commands true believers to “come out” from the 501 (C) (3) State church of the Beast. For it is that system that conditions and encourages it’s people to apply one set of standards in one instance, while, at the same time, ignoring those very same standards in order to promote war and other such evil devices of the natural man. Pretzel logic I believe they call that. Ten years ago, after spending more than 30 years in its ubiquitous grip, I made the conscious decision to stop “living the lie” and come out of the corporate State church system. In it I found simply too many inconsistencies that ran contrary to Scripture and the doctrine of Christ’s actual and literal Lordship. Although it was a decision that eventually cost Kathy Lois and me, literally, everything we had, we’ve never once regretted it and would do it again in a heartbeat if necessary. And so, after 30 years of playing the game, I chose for the first time to exercise my citizenship within a different Kingdom. That is why I will not be voting in this most historic election. Voting is a so-called right restricted to those who exercise their identity as civilians and members of the body politic. It is a right extended to those in good standing who pledge their sole allegiance to one of the many national kingdoms of this world. Generally, that kingdom would be the country they “live” in and call themselves a “citizen” of. Voting is a process - one among many citizens routinely engage in - which declares and fixes their legal identity and one who officially belongs to the State and owes their “primary” and “highest” allegiance to that Beast. Conversely, one who is an actual and literal ambassador for the Christ must recognize that his citizenship is in Another Kingdom where the Scriptures say “ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” - Ephesians 2:19. Because no servant can serve two masters (Luke 16:13), the ambassador for Christ can never pledge his allegiance to any other kingdom than that of Christ’s. Our Sovereign has spoken clearly and repeatedly about that. The fact that we may be sojourning in America has nothing to do with our citizenship in the Kingdom of Christ. For it is only by the grace of God that we are sojourn in America rather than China or Iran. As far as this world is concerned, I am merely a servant representing my Master. More specifically and literally, I am an ambassador for Christ - one sojourning in America at the Will and Pleasure of my Sovereign, Jesus the Christ. Strange as it all may sound, you’ve probably guessed by now that I consider the status of my ambassadorship to be actual and literal. And, that guess would be right! After all, when you think about it, why would any intellectually honest Christian desire anything less? Unfortunately, I haven’t found many intellectually honest Christians in the State churches. Matthew 6:33 requires me, as an actual and literal ambassador for Christ, to pursue His Kingdom first. In other words, God’s Kingdom supersedes all others... without exception. As the maxim of law states, Suma Ratio est quae pro Religion facet - which is interpreted “If ever the laws of God and man are at variance, the former are to be obeyed in derogation of the latter”. Yet every time I pass a corporate State church and see the Christian flag flying below the United States flag, I am reminded of just how contrary the beliefs of that kingdom are to the real One. If ever there was any doubt about whose lordship reigns over these establishments, the flag says it all! By all standards, ambassadors have no lawful standing to vote or participate in the political process of the country they are appointed to serve in. Simply stated, that is not their kingdom. Without getting too involved, suffice it to say there are certain activities that a wise and judicious ambassador for Christ should avoid if he wishes to retain all the God-given Immunities and Rights of his ambassadorship. Voting in a secular election for secular candidates is certainly one of them. Just as the various kingdoms of this world have their own laws, likewise, God’s Kingdom has its own Law. Just as the United States has for its organic law the U.S. Constitution, the Kingdom of God has for its Organic Law the Holy Scriptures. Subsequently, the written Scriptures are the prevailing law of Christ’s ambassadors. The very first and most basic law any ambassador must pledge his allegiance to, is that he will not ascribe allegiance to any other sovereign than his own. Just as an ambassador from France or Germany cannot serve two sovereign powers at the same time, nor can the ambassador for Christ. To do so would constitute an act of treason. Likewise, our Sovereign God will not tolerate any other Lords before Him (Exodus 20:3). When those who call themselves Christians attempt to serve two masters (which is impossible to do) they make a mockery of Christ declaring by their actions that they consider Him nothing more than a fictional king presiding over a make-believe kingdom. Alright, I know what you’re probably thinking right about now. But respectfully I would tell you to save your breath. I’ve heard it all before - all the standard arguments about how Christians are obligated to vote; arguments that fly in the face of Scripture which tells us plainly not to conform to or participate in the systems of this world (Romans 12:2); arguments that defy the words of Christ Himself who said “no man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). I’m very familiar with those rationalizations. I know the party line. I was once a fervent, “State licensed” champion of all that idolatry. Ten years ago, for me, it all came down to a few simple questions. Was God’s Word and His Kingdom real or simply a figment? Was the Lordship of Christ intended to be symbolic or was it actual and literal. Once I settled these questions it put everything in a totally different perspective for me, and literally changed my life forever. As soon as I made my public declaration and pledged my sole allegiance to Christ, I quickly discovered that the “freedom of religion” preached in modern day America came with strings attached. And in reality, it was no freedom at all for those of us who were not willing to renounce the actual and literal Lordship of Christ. Two cases in particular from the secular courts explain with striking clarity how the provisional government of the United States will not tolerate any other gods before it. “A citizen of the United States owes his primary and highest allegiance to the general government and not to his particular state.” Hammerstein v. Lynn, 200F. 165 at 170. And to further show how absolute the grip of Caesar is over those who identify themselves as citizens, the courts have also decided, “The persons declared to be citizens are ‘all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.’ the evident meaning of these words is, not just subject in some respect or degree to the jurisdiction of the United States, but completely subject to their political jurisdiction, and owing them direct and immediate allegiance”. Elk v. Wilkins, 112 U.S. 94 (1884). I would implore the reader to stop here for a moment, go back, and read again these two declarations of full disclosure noting specifically the words, primary, highest, completely subject, direct, and immediate. For me, it all boils down to this: If I honestly believe Christ has Called me to be His ambassador, if I really believe it, am I willing to pledge my first allegiance to Him and simply let the chips fall where they may? In this day of casual Christianity, these kinds of questions are rare and increasingly harder to face, yet God’s standards never change. I cannot and will not tell others personally how they should esteem or serve their God. I can only declare to them the Gospel of Christ and share with them how I have come by His Spirit to understand and experience His Kingdom: a once symbolic “pie in the sky” religion, transformed by Him into a vibrant, living reality. Yes, serving Him “in spirit and in truth” came at costs Kathy and I never thought we’d have to pay. But still, the Prize is far greater. And so, I pray that my discourse here as to why I’m not voting will stimulate some soul searching in the hearts of its readers. Perhaps, while the world is currently playing politics, you will consider the greater reality of the moment. While there are at-least two political parties competing for your vote, there are two opposing spiritual kingdoms competing for your eternal souls. Which one will you pledge your allegiance to? William Raymond: